Mr. John Bruton:

Bill Clinton was about to arrive in this part of the world. I phoned John Major the day before and said we do not want to be telling this man there is nothing doing. I suggested that we meet. We had already been discussing the idea of a twin-track approach. I had met John Major on various occasions. He was attracted by the idea, as was I. The unionists wanted an election and said they would speak to people after an election. Sometimes the best way to get the hay to the market is to put it on someone else's trailer. I said that if the unionists were offering the trailer of an election that would get us all into talks, why not avail of it. I thought that was important.

It was later, of course, that they elected. The twin-track approach was basically pushed on the basis that the US President was coming and we had an opportunity and a deadline. We have to seize deadlines when they are there and use them as leverage to get something. We made progress and took an approach whereby we discussed decommissioning on one track and political relations on another track. One did not interfere with the other. Then, we eventually got the talks launched on 10 June. That was what led to the Good Friday Agreement. That vehicle of the election brought us there, even though many Irish nationalist opinion at the time, such as the SDLP and Sinn Féin, were opposed to the idea of an election. In retrospect that was a mistake.

The Deputy asked many questions and I am sorry I have forgotten the order of them. Can she remind me about-----